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Wildlife Officials Shut Down Global Caviar Trade

Written by Newstream

Sep 02, 2004 at 08:07 AM

September 2004 (Newstream) -- In the face of nearly four years of concerted urging by environmental groups, the United Nations' Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) September 1 said it had halted the global trade of most caviars, including prized beluga caviar from the Caspian Sea's imperiled beluga sturgeon.

Click here for a video report.

CITES told The New York Times that it has refused to approve most caviar export quotas for 2004 - the first time it has done so since it began monitoring the trade in 1998. Most of the world's caviar comes from the Caspian, and CITES said Caspian nations were in violation of an international sturgeon conservation agreement that requires them to reach consensus on the division of basin-wide quotas and to take illegal fishing into consideration when determining those numbers. CITES said the freeze on exports would remain in place until the states have complied with the agreement.

"While we are pleased that CITES has taken action to stop the beluga caviar trade, we are very concerned that critically needed long-term conservation measures have yet to be implemented in the Caspian region. CITES needs to stick to its guns and require real reform before permitting a resumption in trade," said Lisa Speer, senior policy analyst for the Natural Resources Defense Council.

NRDC is part of a coalition with SeaWeb and the University of Miami's Pew Institute for Ocean Science called Caviar Emptor, which has sought to protect and restore threatened Caspian Sea sturgeon. Of most concern is the beluga sturgeon, whose populations have plummeted 90 percent in the past 20 years.

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Written by Newstream

Sep 02, 2004 at 07:40 AM

September 2004 (Newstream) -- An Atlas IIAS rocket lifted off tonight, successfully carrying a national security payload into orbit.

The mission, called AC-167, was provided for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) by International Launch Services (ILS), using a Lockheed Martin-built Atlas vehicle [NYSE: LMT]. Liftoff was at 7:17 p.m. Tuesday EDT (23:17 GMT) from Cape Canaveral's Pad 36A, with payload separation into transfer orbit 73 minutes later.

Lockheed Martin Atlas IIAS rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Fla., Tuesday night with a national security payload. This was the 63rd and final rocket in the Atlas II series, which has achieved 100 percent success since it began flying in 1991. The launch was provided by International Launch Services, a Lockheed Martin joint venture that is the world's leading launch provider.

(Photo: Business Wire)

Tonight's flight was the eighth mission of the year for ILS, as well as the fifth Atlas launch. It also was the 73rd consecutive successful flight for the Atlas family in any launch configuration. This also marks the 30th and final flight for an Atlas IIAS model and the 63rd flight and final flight of any Atlas II version. In addition, this was the final flight after 47 years of the Rocketdyne MA-5A engine, which powered the Atlas II booster.

"The Atlas family has launched government payloads for more than 40 years," said ILS President Mark Albrecht. "We're always proud to have a role in assisting in the security of our nation."

Albrecht also pointed out the perfect record of not only the Atlas IIAS vehicles, but of the entire Atlas II line, which began flying in December 1991. "This is an awesome accomplishment, being the only U.S. expendable launch vehicle series to have had 100 percent success throughout its entire lifespan," he said. "The Atlas team is an incredible group of people who make Mission Success for our customers a way of life."

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Where's my password?

Written by Everything Science

Aug 27, 2004 at 04:34 PM

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How do I access the chat room?

Written by Everything Science

Aug 27, 2004 at 04:29 PM

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Because of this, we require that all participants in the chat room and forum be registered with us.

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US Space Agency Improves Shuttle Safety, Management

Written by David McAlary for VOANews.com

Aug 27, 2004 at 02:45 PM

The U.S. space agency, NASA, continues work on improving the safety of the space shuttle, before the fleet of orbiters resumes its visits to the international space station next year. Agency officials say they have made significant progress toward launching a safe mission in March or April.

Against a black night sky, the Space Shuttle Endeavour heads toward Earth orbit and a scheduled link-up with the International Space Station (ISS). Liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39 occurred at 7:49:47 p.m. (EST), November 23, 2002.

Image Credt: NASA

U.S. space shuttle managers are completing a long list of recommendations made one year ago by aviation safety experts, who investigated the loss of the shuttle Columbia seven months earlier.

Columbia broke apart on its final orbit, and all seven astronauts died because debris from an external fuel tank had punched a hole in its wing during launch days before, causing the wing to melt from hot atmospheric gases during re-entry.

To prevent another loss, the accident investigators called for 15 safety improvements they said should be completed before flights resume. NASA officials say they have met five, and have made progress toward the other 10, which must be met by December, if a shuttle is to lift off early next year.

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